Month: May 2017

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Seat Belts: Everybody’s Wearing Them (Almost)

Q; I’ve seen a lot of commercials reminding us to wear seat belts lately. Is that really still a problem? Doesn’t everyone wear a seat belt now?

A: You’re close. Almost everyone in Washington buckles up. Seat belt use in Washington is at about 95 percent. That’s seven points higher than the national average. Given that the use rates are so high, it seems like we could call it a win and move on. However, there is a caveat. (There always is, isn’t there?) Continue reading “Seat Belts: Everybody’s Wearing Them (Almost)”

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Roundabout Refresher

I thought we had this whole round-about thing pretty well managed, but based on the abundance of email I’ve been getting lately I guess that’s just not true. That point was driven home recently by a comment from a reader. In an article about bike boxes, I wrote that we’ll learn how to navigate them “just like the roundabouts that most of us have figured out.”

In response, a reader commented, “Hah! I’m not sure if the author meant that as a joke or not, but you gave me a nice laugh on Monday morning.” Continue reading “Roundabout Refresher”

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U-turns: Mostly Legal, Sometimes Risky

Q: When driving on Meridian Street in the area of the mall, there are now those barriers keeping you from making a left turn. I see a lot of people making U-turns now when they get to the next intersection. Is this legal?

A: Before answering this question I took a drive down Meridian just to make sure I wasn’t failing to remember any “No U-Turn” signs. In Washington, U-turns are generally legal at intersections. The exception, and I’m stating the obvious here, is when there is a posted sign prohibiting U-turns. Continue reading “U-turns: Mostly Legal, Sometimes Risky”

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Drug Categories and their Common Effects

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where it would have been helpful to know if someone is impaired by drugs? This drug effects chart can help. Originally conceived in a meeting with local bar and restaurant owners, it was developed to help bartenders servers recognize impairment in customers that used drugs prior to coming into their establishments. Continue reading “Drug Categories and their Common Effects”